Barbara
Thompson Doyle, M.S., is
a Special Education professional with 31 years of experience in
developmental disability services. Ms. Doyle is a consultant in
private practice, who is well known for her practical and positive
approaches to addressing the needs of children and adults with
disabilities.

An
enthusiastic lecturer, teacher and trainer, Ms. Doyle travels
extensively to bring her holistic, humane and effective approaches
to others. Ms. Doyle is "Aunt Barbara" to Tom, who has an Autism
Spectrum Disorder. More information is available at her personal
site,
http://www.barbaradoyle.com.

Emily Doyle
Iland, M.A., is Barbara's sister and
mother to Tom, Lisa and Danny.Emily is a member of the Transition Task
Force of the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism and has
provided data from her Master's thesis to inform the Commission’s
legislative recommendations. She is the Secretary of the Autism
Society of America, Los Angeles, and a founding member of SCAAN,
Santa Clarita Autism Asperger Network. Emily is a founding member of
C.L.E.A.R, Community and Law Enforcement Aware Response, a
collaborative to reduce criminal involvement of people with
disabilities and help law enforcement officials be informed in their
response to people with special needs.

Emily is currently working
with the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community
Integration and The Bubel Aiken Foundation to develop curriculum for
an Inclusive Service Learning program for students in elementary,
junior high, and high school. As the California State Representative
of the Yes I Can Program for Social Inclusion, Emily trained
staff and families in junior high and high school to help teens with
developmental disabilities make friends and have fun.

Emily is an educational
consultant and presents at conferences in both English and Spanish
all over the U.S. and in Mexico. She received a Master’s Degree in
Special Education with distinction at California State University,
Northridge in Summer, 2007. Emily received the Nathan O. Friedman
Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year Award, an honor reserved
for a single master’s candidate. Emily received a B.A. degree, summa
cum laude, from Marquette University with majors in Political
Science and Spanish and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Emily is a
2003 graduate of the City of Santa Clarita/College of the Canyons
Community Leadership Program and received the 2005 Community Service
Award from the City.

NEWS RELEASE

Convocation Accolades in Store for Cal State Northridge’s Top
Students

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., May 21, 2007) —

Convocation presentations will include The Nathan O. Freedman
Memorial Award for Outstanding Graduate Student for 2007, to Emily
Iland, a special education major with an overall 3.92 grade point
average. Iland co-authored "Autism A-Z," winner of the Exceptional
Parent Magazine Symbol of Excellence Award.

Her thesis project—research on Latina mothers with autistic
children—will be used to formulate recommendations for Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger's Autism Commission. Iland serves on the transition
committee that reports to the governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on
Autism.